South African Vernacular

This morning as I was pulling into the garage after dropping the boys at school I noticed DD's bike was very close to where the car (still a rental, sigh!) was going to be.  DD noticed it too.  After I had pulled in, avoiding the bike of course, DD hopped out of the car and said "I'll move that, just now!"  Not something I would have heard from her back in Canada.  So, she is obviously picking up some of the South African vernacular.

Let's start with the definition of vernacular.  According to Mirriam-Webster it means: using a language or dialect native to a region or country rather than a literary, cultured, or foreign language.

In South Africa there are 11 official languages recognized in the constitution.  English is actually the 6th most common home language, though it is the primary language of government and business (according to Wikipedia).  So, it's not surprising that some of the common vernacular is taken from other languages. 

Take my conversation in the uniform shop for example.  The language of the school is English, the language at the store is English.  The uniform list had Tackies on it.  So, not being familiar with the word, here is how the conversation went.

Me - "The uniform list says white Tackies, what are Tackies?"

Employee - "You know Teckies"  (their "a" sounds like our short "e")

Me - Thinking in my head - "Well if I knew Tackies, I wouldn't be asking now would I?"
         Saying out of my mouth - "I'm not familiar with the term could you describe them to me"

Employee - "Well Teckies, you know, ummmm..."

Me - Thinking in my head - "sigh!"

Employee - "Right, shoes, shoes for physical education"

Me - "Oh running shoes"

So, Tackies are running shoes. 

According to Africanderisms by Rev. Charles Pettnam (1913) - In the border towns of the Eastern Province this is the name given to rubber soled canvas shoes.  Tackies have been around a long time.  In fact a little while into the adventure we actually found a store called Tekkie Town.  I bet you can figure out what they sell.

Here are some of the other phrases and terms that I have noticed thus far.

Is it? = Really?
Shame = Oh Dear or Oh No
Serviette = Napkin
Napkin = Diaper
Chips = French Fries
Crisps = Potato Chips
Sosaties = originally lamb on a skewer, now any meat marinated, sometimes with vegetables on a skewer
Alice Band = Hair Band (like Alice in Wonderland wore)
Pleasure = You're Welcome
Washing Powder = Laundry Soap
Just now = At some point in time in the future from 5 min. to 5 days
Now, Now = Sooner than Just Now
Tomato Sauce = Ketchup
Biltong = Jerky (dried meat)
Streaky bacon = what we know as bacon
Bakkie - truck (see conversation on tackie and yes the spelling is correct for both, I triple checked)
Rovie = Land Rover
Disco = Land Rover Discovery
How's it? - Hi, how are you?

For those of you who will see us when we visit home, you might want to print off this list, because yesterday I said "Is it?" and asked for tomato sauce for my chips and I've only been here 2 months.

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